Visitors From Guatemala! :)

This has been a really good month for the Farriers of Faith (that's us).

Some days it's hard to feel connected to this place, since we're so excited to get to Guatemala and do all the great things that God has planned for us.

More often, though, it's hard to feel connected to Guatemala, since it's so far away, and there is so much 'unknown' there.

One of the things that has really encouraged us and helped us feel plugged in with both places at the same time (a challenging feat, let me assure you!) is that we got to visit with three of the people with whom Mark will be working closely once we get there.

A few weeks ago, we got to have French Silk Pie (a blessing straight from heaven) with Dick and Sharon Mueller (ditto) at our house. These guys are incredible! They've been in Guatemala 30 years now, and started a Bible college that recently graduated almost 100 students from its degree program. They are as rock-solid as can be when it comes to walking by faith, and we are incredibly blessed to be able to intern with them. (Better than winning a big lottery any day. Seriously - we're that excited.)

Sharon and Dick Mueller with our Pastor, Michael Kalstrup

 Just yesterday, we had David Mann over for chili, homemade bread, cobbler, and some excellent conversation. (Doctrine, church history, parenting, American politics... all the good stuff.) He also works with Dick at the college, and we spent the most time with him when we were in Guatemala in February. It was so much fun to be around him for those 5 days, and we were relieved to find out that his easy-going manner and sense of humor weren't just part of his 'tour guide' persona. As far as we can tell, he's really, truly that cool all the time!  (I bet his wife and kids would even say the same thing.)

David Mann bringing the message at our church

Between those two visits, we feel like a lot of our practical questions have been answered (yes, you can flush the toilet paper [sometimes]), our fears allayed (we won't just disappear, never to be heard from again, once we drive into Mexico), and our excitement level has been boosted even higher (I honestly burst into spontaneous, exuberant song sometimes).

So, besides just raising the roof in singing the praises of our amazing God, we're also still looking to raise some support. (See what I did there?)

Seriously, though - God has put it on my hear to be bold and seek out 10 people/groups to commit to supporting us at $50 (or more) each month, beginning in January. 

We know our partners are out there. Are you one of them? Something to pray about...

If you want to know more, check out our website. If you'd like to donate, it's easy and safe to do online, or by mail. (Plus, it's tax deductible!) Just head over to our servicing agency's website for instructions.

If you have questions, fundraising ideas, would like to know more about how to host a missionary reception, want us to come speak to your group/church, or anything else, you can always email us at farriersoffaith@yahoo.com.

We truly would love to hear from you! Thanks for joining us on our journey thus far. We can't wait to see where we'll all end up together tomorrow!

akf

Called

You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won’t always have me here with you.                         --Mark 14:7

When I went to Guatemala last February, I was not at all 'mission-minded.'  I went mostly out of curiosity, because the Holy Spirit was leading me to go, and because I wanted to make my wife happy. (I knew she was starting to feel a leading toward missions, but I had no idea how strong it was.)

When I got down there I was overwhelmed at the need. But, honestly, it was something else that really grabbed me.  Even with all the poverty, and all the futility - people seemed happy.

This was quite a mind trip for a person who grew up believing in the American Dream.  It really struck me while I was standing on the roof of a church, in the dark, watching kids playing and families talking on their roof across from us.  The idea that these people are different - different culture, language, economy, opportunities - it all faded away. What was left was just people. And, though they were different, they really were people, just like me.

And that was the start.  After that it became easy to see one very important thing: I am not called to change these people’s lives by Americanizing them. I am called to give them the promise of Christ.  While it is true there is mass poverty, trash everywhere, unsafe conditions - all of that is good to work on - what they most need is Christ.

You may be reading this and saying “duh, of course it is about Christ. If that's you, then I challenge you to go on a mission trip, to open up to the Holy Spirit when you are there, and see how it changes your perspective.  If you are honest, I bet you will find out that a lot of what you believe to be your Christian values are really American values.

Christ is what is needed to change lives, communities, towns, cities, and countries. What purpose would it serve to comfort someone here on earth, but let them suffer after they leave this earth?

That is not to say helping people is wrong. One of the overwhelming things that hit me was how much we could do for the people in Guatemala to help their physical needs. Because of the prosperity of this country, we have money and opportunities. We are much less afraid of failure. Think about it - we get experience building things, because a lot of time if we fail we can go buy the stuff to try it again.  That is a very different reality from a person who has one chance to build something. If they fail they have nothing else to try it with. There is no second chance. (And, that's assuming they had the resources to build it to begin with.)

So, yes - we are going down to bring an amount of comfort to the people we can reach, in whatever form we can.  But, that can never overwhelm the fact that we are there to bring Christ to people. After all - He's the one thing that is universally and eternally important.

- Mark

Like what you've read? Want to learn more? Check out our website, or go here to make a tax-deductible contribution to our ministry. (Select 'Farrier' from the pulldown menu.)

Reward

I've been a born-again Christian since June 8th of 1988. That's when I knelt down and accepted Jesus into my heart.

I did so because that's when I became aware of His great love.
His great love for ME!

That's when I became aware of the gift that is salvation.
A gift He he had created for ME!

That's when I realized that He had a plan for my life.

That's right - the creator of the universe had a plan for ME!

Those are all the reasons I became a Christian. But, it's only been recently that I realized that there's much more to the equation than just that. Yes, He had all those things for me. And He gave them freely.
But, He also wanted more from ME.

More accurately (lest anyone think that our works are what get us into heaven, or that God wants to engage us in the drudgery of spiritual slavery in exchange for our salvation), Jesus wanted ME to want more for HIS sake.

I believe it is profoundly healing and healthy to accept the realization that if I would have been the only one who needed it, Christ would have climbed up onto that cross anyway. Just.For.Me.

That's how much He loves me. I am what He did it for. I am what He was thinking about that day. I am what He longs for. In fact, I am the reward for his suffering.

Think about that - there was no other prize at the end of the cross, resurrection, and ascension except for me. (Well, ok... there was eternity with the Father in heaven, but He already had that.) No brass ring. No pot of gold. No winning lottery ticket. Just me. Just you. Just humanity.

I am entirely and completely and utterly undeserving of the gift of salvation. I pray that it never ceases to bring me to tears when I consider what Jesus did for me.

But, He is deserving. Entirely, completely, and utterly deserving of my love. Of my adoration. Of me. And of you. And of all of humanity, which is all that He longs for.

When I feel shy or uncomfortable, and would rather pass on sharing the gospel with a stranger...
            When I start feeling content with my accomplishments and resentful of having to do more...
                         When I feel discouraged or tired, and am ready to give up on this whole 'missionary' thing...
                       

That's when I remember my Jesus - peering down to Earth - loving each and every person I come into contact with just as much as He loves me.

Desiring to give them the free gift of salvation, just as He desired to give it me.

Longing for each person to be a part of His eternal reward, just as He longed for me to be a part of His eternal reward.

How can I not share the gospel with strangers? How can I not go the extra mile for His sake? How can I not go to Guatemala to tell the people there about Jesus?

It is not about me, and what I have gained. It is about HIM, and the fullness of His reward that He will lose if I choose to give less than everything for His cause.

He deserves the full reward for His suffering.
He deserves an eternity with every person He died for.
He deserves them all...

And it must become my highest goal and privilege to see that He gets everything He suffered for... everything He died for... everything He deserves.

Like what you've read? Want to learn more? Check out our website, or go here to make a tax-deductible contribution to our ministry. (Select 'Farrier' from the pulldown menu.)